It’s been a long time coming, but Sadie Stanley and Lexi Underwood are finally in for a Cruel Summer. Freeform released the first trailer for Season 2 of the gut-wrenching teen drama which sees the two attempting to get their stories straight as they draw suspicions of murder. Stanley and Underwood play Megan and Isabella, two tight-knit teenage friends who fall apart as they get involved in a jealous love triangle involving Megan’s best friend Luke (Griffin Gluck), and face a mystery that will change their lives forever.

Set to a moody take on Linkin Park‘s “In the End,” the footage opens with Megan and Isabella being questioned about their involvement in their friend’s death, revealing in the process that Isabella is a known troublemaker to the law. She’s an exchange student coming to live with Megan and her family and, despite initial hesitations, they become close with each other. Together with their other friends, including Luke, they enjoy their last winter and summer breaks of being “officially stupid” until all that comes crashing down. A body is found in the lake and the two friends are suddenly left scrambling to quell suspicions that they could be involved in the mystery.

Cruel Summer will continue to hammer home themes of betrayal, abuse, and of course, unreliable narrators as Megan and Isabella’s case unravels. The final minute of the footage is a mad dash to cover up evidence as Sheriff Meyer (Sean Blakemore) gets closer to the truth. Everything crumbles between the friends as they face extreme consequences. Megan finally reaches a breaking point with Isabella and her carefree nature, leading the two to go to war. Luke, too, is caught in the crossfire when his father, a powerful figure within the town, lashes out at him over the unwanted attention and trouble the case has brought his family. By the end, everyone will be wishing they could go back to a better time.

Who Else Is Behind Cruel Summer Season 2?

Renewing Cruel Summer for a second season was a no-brainer for Freeform back in 2021 after the series had the biggest premiere in the network’s history. Set in the 90s, the first season followed the kidnapping of Kate (Olivia Holt) and the sudden rise of Jeannette (Chiara Aurelia) as one of the most popular girls in town. When Kate returns years later and accuses Jeannette of knowing what happened to her, everyone picks sides, and relationships are tested as the mystery spirals out of control.

Season 2 will instead take place around Y2K, but the tone will be very much the same as it explores this new mystery. In addition to the quartet of Stanley, Underwood, Gluck, and Blakemore, the series also features KaDee Strickland as Megan’s mom Debbie, Lisa Yamada as a musician named Parker, and Paul Adelstein as Luke’s big-shot father Steve Chambers. Braeden De La Garza is also set in a recurring role. Bert V. Royal created the series while Elle Triedman serves as showrunner.

Cruel Summer Season 2 premieres on Freeform on June 5 with two episodes at 9 p.m. ET/PT before heading to Hulu on June 6. New episodes will follow weekly at the 10 p.m. time slot. Check out the trailer below:

via Collider